WindMark Idea House -- DIY Artwork on a Budget

Photo: Antoine Bootz, Courtesy of: MyHomeIdeas.com
The Master Bedroom we won from MyHomeIdeas was simply extraordinary. The deep purple walls were even more luxurious in person. The beds, upholstered furniture, lavish bedding and window treatments were all here when we finally took possession of the home. The artwork, however, had been on loan from the sponsors, and did not convey with the home. So . . . we were thrilled for the opportunity to add our own personal touches to this and other rooms.
The paintings in the room were reproductions of drawings from a 19th century scientist, Albertus Seba. After a little research, I found the artwork could be purchased at around $2000 per piece. Since I wished to maintain the character of this room, but obviously didn't have the budget needed to duplicate it exactly, I opted for a more reasonably priced alternative.

On Amazon, I found a coffee table book featuring the Natural Curiosities Collection. Many of the prints inside the Idea House were inside this book (on a smaller scale than the originals).
I purchased the used copy of the book (I paid about $20), brought it home, then carefully removed the pages from the binding. (A box cutter made this task much easier and preserved the quality of the photos. I cut only the threads attaching the binding, not the pages, at this point.)
I used a paper trimmer to trim the selected photos from the book. . .

Then floated the pictures atop cardboard mounting squares before framing. I found the frames on sale for $5 at Walmart.

Photo: Robert Tobler
Though, I was unable to locate exact replicas of the first prints which graced the walls of the WindMark Master Bedroom, our versions still seemed to maintain the "Old Florida" vibe of the room ~ at a substantial savings.

To view more photos from the WindMark Idea House, visit our vacation rental website: Summer Dream Cottage or MyHomeIdeas -- the website that changed our life, and made this Florida girl's Summer Dream Come True.

Summer -- Still a Dream Come True at WindMark Beach Idea House

I loved the unspoiled simplicity of WindMark Beach. Devoid of crowds most folks expect in Florida, this peaceful shoreline along the Forgotten Coast felt like our very own secret hideaway for the 4th of July weekend.

We danced along the shore. We searched for treasures and were not disappointed. Dozens of live sand dollars tickeled our toes along the sandbar -- what a thrill. We played until the sun went down, and carried home a heartfull of memories. Our Summer Dreams keep coming true each time we visit our sweet home at WindMark Beach.

Back at the house, we read the beach stories of other families (over a dozen already this year!) vacationing at Summer Dream. Our guest book is already filling up with lively tales of cuddling on the porch, board games during afternoon showers, sandcastle building, and "catching the big one" in St. Joe Bay's crystal blue waters. What a joy to share the WindMark Idea House with others. What a blessing for our children to create lasting memories as well.

Thanks to all who have visited. And thanks again to MyHomeIdeas for our Summer Dream Come True!

Do Good With Your Vacation Home -- Paying the Blessings Forward

Winning the WindMark Idea House still feels surreal to us. Certainly, it was a tremendous blessing for us to receive such a beautiful home in the breathtaking coastal community of WindMark Beach -- but for that home to be located just 1 1/2 hours from my Northwest Florida hometown is an absolute dream come true! (Which is why we named the home --Summer Dream.)

And now, with the tremendous rental success it has experienced (each week of Spring Break has been booked SOLID and most of June & July are already rented, as well!). The joy of sharing such a blessing with so many other families is just overwhelming. To honor our blessings during the Christmas season last year, we donated a week stay in the home to our Air Force squadron booster club. During May, a military family will be vacationing there free of charge. I know the family who received the gift, and am thrilled they will be spending a much-deserved week at the beach. But . . . you know, given the level of abundance we've enjoyed this year, I truly felt we could give more.

So, we decided to offer discounted stays at Summer Dream to ALL active-duty military and veterans. This is an easy gift for us to give, of course. As an Air Force spouse and mother to three children who miss their Daddy when he's away -- I know first-hand the sacrifice of all military families.
My heart still felt that we could do more . . . so I did a little research.

I found a few organizations that utitilize vacation homes as a way to give back. Vacation Homes for Charity auctions stays in luxury homes, then appropriates the proceeds (which equates to hundreds of 1000s of dollars each year) to a variety of charities. In Cananda, cottage owners may donate a stay in their rentals through Cottage Dreams to cancer survivors and their families -- offering them a chance to recuperate and rejuvenate after treatment.Vacations For Veterans is a nonprofit organization created to provide recently wounded veterans of the United States Armed Forces with a week of free lodgings donated by a vacation homeowner. Wounded veterans face many challenges when they return home. They are reconnecting with family members and rebuilding their lives. Their honorable service and family sacrifices certainly merit relaxing time away -- but a vacation in a dreamy destination with professionally designed accomodations is a luxury few veterans would be able to afford.

Through Vacations for Veterans, our family will be able to give a worthy military family the Summer Dream vacation they deserve.

In this year when dreams keep coming true for us for us, the greatest way to express our gratitude, I believe, is to keep paying those blessings forward. I hope my children learn it is truly in giving that our hearts receive.

Today, may you also feel abundantly blessed.

Leisa